The Horrible Split of the Fantastic Trio
by caopotter
Summary: Hermione, Ron, and Harry are no longer seen talking together in the Great Hall, the Common Room, or any other place in Hogwarts. Something has happened that will change their lives forever.
1. The Horrible Split

Ron was walking down to his double potions class with Slytherin when all of a sudden somebody reached over and pulled him into a closet. "Bloody Hell!" Ron started to say, but was stopped when a cold, clammy hand closed firmly around his mouth. He turned around to find none other than Hermione Granger, his good friend who until recently had stuck by him through thick and thin. "Be quiet Ron and don't do anything rash," she whispered, her eyes pleading desperately. Ron nodded and she let her hand down slowly. "Ron, listen, I'm very sorry that you're upset about all of this but you've got to understand—" "I do, you're the one who's got to understand. You abandoned us Hermione! You became an entirely different person. You went over to the dark side!" "Oh Ron, don't be ridiculous. All I did was—" "Yes," Ron replied, scowling with such an intense glare that made Hermione wanted to cry, "Yes, all you did was choose your, your... Draco Malfoy over us. Harry and me, we were your friends Hermione." The words stung her violently like a thousand hornets piercing her skin. "I still am your friend, Ron. Please understand me when I say this, I still want to be your friend. Draco didn't know any better, it was the way he was brought up." "He didn't know any better? HE DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER? That stupid git nearly got Harry and me killed! How could he not know how dangerous that was? He'd have to be pretty thick to not realize what that potion was." Ron looked at Hermione again; she looked like she hadn't brushed her hair in days. Pieces of it were hanging across her face. His eyes trailed over towards her, and for a second he actually met her eyes without glaring. Her eyes were red from many nights of crying and many days of stress. She was in complete anguish, that was obvious, and it hurt Ron to see her so upset. "No," he thought, "I can't forgive her. I'll never forgive her." He stepped out of the closet and shut the door behind him. Sobs erupted inside of it. Ron shook his head and raced down the hallway, tears threatening to drip down his face.  
  
Harry walked into the Griffindor Common room. He slumped into a large, overstuffed arm chair and gave out a huge sigh. He put his hand under the cushion, but quickly withdrew it once more. "It's not there!" Harry's shout echoed through the common room. "What's not there?" asked Lavender Brown who had been reading a book near the fireplace. "Nothing," answered Harry, "Nothing important." But he was wrong. It was important. It was so important to him that he would go to great lengths to get it back. He was desperate, and there's nothing scarier than a desperate boy with a magic wand. As soon as everyone had left the common room, Harry ran towards the Fat Lady's portrait. He climbed through and out into the hallway. His heart was beating fast; he had broke the rules so many times before and regardless of his need to find it, this would put him down the road for becoming expelled. In fact, if he succeeded in finding it and using it to help Hermione, Ron, and him become friends again, he might be facing an even worse fate.  
  
The next morning Ron and Hermione were partnered up for a class project during Herbology. Harry was nowhere to be found. Hermione was somewhat happier, as she saw this as an opportunity to reunite with her good friend. She looked around the room. Half of the students, (the Slytherins of course) were giving her such dirty looks that she wished she was back home with her parents. The other half, the Griffindors didn't know what to think anymore and were basically avoiding any eye contact with her at all. She saw Ron go up to Professor Sprout. Hermione wondered why, since the professor's instructions had been clear and right to the point. They were to get with their groups, label the anatomy of the Tung Tung Plant, and find uses for it. "Professor," said Ron, "Is it all right if I partner up with somebody else?" Professor Sprout was extremely surprised. "Weasley," she said, "Whyever would you want to switch partners?" Ron was about to do a terrible thing. He was about to lie to a professor. "Well," started Ron, "See I know that if I were partnered up with her she'd want to do all of the work. I want to do it without her help." This of course was not true in the least. Ron loved it when Hermione helped him with work, as he saw work as well... work. "Very well then, Mr. Weasley," was all Professor Sprout could manage to reply. She stared curiously at the three friends a certain Slytherin liked to call "The Dream Team" and found that one, (Harry), was not there at all, and that the other two were looking away from each other with a great air of disdain. She didn't quite understand it, but she did know one thing. Something was definitely up.  
  
Everything was quiet at the Slytherin table during supper, which scared the heck out of the other houses though they didn't quite want to admit that. Everyone was whispering rumors of the whereabouts of Mr. Draco Malfoy who had recently been caught giving Harry and Ron a rather deadly potion. Everyone was quite surprised that Malfoy had been able to concoct such a potion seeing as the reason he was getting such good grades in Potions class was that he was Snape's favorite. "I can't believe they took him," whispered Pansy Parkinson, with a look of great embarrassment once she realized that her entire table was now staring at her. They obviously couldn't accept Pansy speaking in Draco's behalf, mainly since Draco had cheated on Pansy. Cheated on her, with none other than... "Well will you all bugger off now?" Instantly everyone turned away from Pansy, including Crabbe and Goyle to whom she had been speaking with in the first place. "Not you two!" she began yelling but then reduced it to a harsh whisper. "Really Crabbe, Goyle, you two can be such dunderheads sometimes." 


	2. Be Careful What You Wish For

Be Careful What You Wish For  
  
Ginny Weasley sat in the Gryffindor common room poking at the fire as a sorry attempt to relight it. She heard the gentle clinking sound of the iron poker hitting something made of metal and glass. She reached in and picked it up, unaware of how dangerous this would turn out to be. The metallic color of its top and bottom glinted from the faint light coming from the fireplace. The fire had somehow picked up magnificently and was providing a great amount of warmth that spread throughout the room. Glancing back, she spun it around in her hands. It revolved between her fingers several times before she realized what it was. Why, it was a time turner. A time turner; she could use this to help change her life for the better. Of course, Ginny didn't know the strict laws governing the use of time traveling items such as this one. She didn't understand what could happen if she chose to be seen. She didn't know, but that didn't stop her from using it. "Oy, Weasley, guess what I just heard!" shouted Lavender across the room. "Hey, what's that you've got there?" She ran over to see it, but it was much too late. Ginny had already set the time turner, and was currently several days into the past.  
  
Draco sat in Professor Snape's office considering his options. He could number one, lie, but hadn't he done enough of that already? He could tell the truth and risk spending a couple months in Azkaban, or he could refuse to say anything at all and watch as Potter and Weasley took the blame. He thought about it more carefully and realized that he was past tormenting those two. He knew that he should never have messed with time. In fact, if he had succeeded in what he was planning to do, it may have resulted in an even greater uprise of Lord Voldemort. Despite his father's reputation, he definitely didn't want Voldemort to return. He glanced towards the closed door where just outside Professor Snape stood biding his time while he came up with the perfect punishment. Draco made the most angry face imaginable as he thought of the recent events that had gotten him in trouble. If it hadn't been for Hermione he never would have made that potion. "Why does Hermione have to make me so... confused?" he thought angrily. "But no, it wasn't Hermione's fault at all." He couldn't make up his mind, until his thoughts led to the real causes of the problem. "Potty and Weasel," he said aloud. Just then Professor Snape walked in. "Mr. Malfoy, I must implore that you keep your thoughts inside your head where they belong." He took some papers into his hand and began straightening them out. Severus Snape always liked looking busy. He paused a moment more and looked up into the pale gray eyes of what was his favorite pupil. "Mr. Malfoy, what you managed to do with that potion was completely amazing, even to me. Yet there are dire consequences that must take place. Had you succeeded in that spell so many lives could have been damaged. But I'll let you talk. Exactly why did you commit these horrible crimes?" Draco stared back at his professor not really sure of what to do. "Professor...sir, I simply wanted to prevent Potter... um, Harry and Ron from becoming friends with Hermione in the first place. I figured I'd go back in time and make sure his parents never got attacked at all. Then they'd be alive, he'd be happy, he wouldn't meet Hermione and Ron since they wouldn't recognize him. All sorts of good stuff would happen." "And all sorts of bad stuff would happen as well," said Snape. "You know without the Boy who lived all of us would probably be dead right where we stand. Think about this one example, the example of Mr. Weasley. This could have harmed him as well." Snape looked at the boy to see if he was understood. All he saw was Draco's confused expression. "If Harry and Ron didn't become friends Ron would have died in his second year trying to save his sister from the Chamber of Secrets." Draco dropped his gaze to the floor once more, and realized how selfish he had been. "I just wanted it to be me and Hermione, with no one else to bother us." Snape stared him right in the eye and replied, "Well Mr. Malfoy, be careful what you wish for." 


End file.
